This recipe is from The Joyce Chen Cook Book. Chen was a chef, restaurateur, entrepreneur, author and TV personality who is credited for popularizing Chinese cuisine in the U.S. She was the first to serve buffet-style meals in her Cambridge, MA restaurant, the first to print menu in both English and Chinese, and the first to number menu items to make for easy communication between diner and server. When she opened her first restaurant in 1958 it was described as “not merely a restaurant but a cultural exchange center.”

2 bunches radishes
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sesame oil
toasted sesame seeds for garnish, optional

Trim both ends of radish, wash and drain. Cut large radishes in half and crush radishes gently using the side of a knife.

Mix the brown sugar, salt, vinegar and sesame oil and pour over the radishes. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and serve.

Serves 4

image by Gina Salazar